Mulling apparatus



Dec. 27, 1932. H. F. ROSE MULLING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet Snom/1to1 Har/y fia/ ase @13 M @Hoz/new @Wl/LM www Patented Dec. 27, 1932 y UNITED rrlCE v HARRY FRANK ROSE, OF NENV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR IO THE ADAMS MFG. CO., INC.,

F NEW YORK, Y., A. CRPORATION 'OF NEWT YORK MULLiNG APPARATUS Application filed May 5, 1331.

This invention relates to mulling apparatus, by which is meant, in the art of manufacturing shoes and other footwear, apparatus for softening box-toe sti'eners and the like. In that art, box-toes are produced by means of suitable stiffening material arranged under the leather or other material of which the vamp is made. stifl'ening material is composed .of two or more layers of cotton fabric, impregnated with a starch composition adapted to give the desired stiffness when dry but capable of being softened by moistening or dampening so that the impregnated fabric (out to proper form and size) can be molded or shaped over the toe of the last, after which the subsequent drying restores the original stiffness.

This softening may conveniently be accomplished by means of apparatus of the character described in my copending application, Serial No. 461,937, filed June 18, 1930, a desirable form of thatapparatus including one or more racks on which the stiffening pieces or toes may be mounted, an open. watercontaining vessel, and a inulling 'vessel or chamber. The mounting racks maybe plates provided with coil springs of the close type fastened thereto in such manner that the adjacent turns ofthe springs will form spring clips to hold the pieces of impregnated fabric. Both the water vessel and the mulling cham-V ber are provided with means for receiving one or more of lthese racks, and the method of softening the pieces comprises first dipping` the racks in the water vessel for a few mo- .ments and then placing them in the mulling chamber for as long as desired, so that the water soaks into the pieces, thoroughly softening them.

' Vhile apparatus of this character is both satisfactory and ktime-"saving, it has been found that under certain circumstances of use there is danger that the workmen employing the apparatus may inadvertently leave the stiffening pieces in the water vessel for more than a few moments. Such treatment of the apparatus is likely to occur, for eX- ample, in exceptionally busy shops or in small establishments where there are no men especially detailed to carry out the mulling @ne widely usedV Serial No. 535,196.

operation; a busy workman might place one or more racks in the water vessel, and then after being suddenly called'to another job or another part of the shop, forget to remove the racks from the water vfor a considerable time. lf the stiffening pieces employed are of the starch-impregnated cotton variety, for instance, such neglect of the apparatus, accidental or otherwise, is damaging Vand wasteful; the starch composition may be soaked wholly or partly out of the pieces, or the latter may otherwise become too soggy for'proper use.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide satisfactory and efiicient apparatus for softening boX-toe stiffeners and the like which may be used without danger of over-softening or otherwise damaging the stiffcners.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide mulling apparatus of convenient and portable form which will be fool-proof and incapable of negligent misuse in the hands of ordinary workmen, and also to provide such apparatus which will be inexpensive and of such construction as to permit rapid manipulation of operating parts.

Other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus of the class described having a wetting tank for stiifeners with means for positively preventing accidental overmoistening of the latter, and also to provide such apparatus with convenient means for holding the stiffeners in readily accessible position out of the tank; as well as to provide such apparatus in which racks for support ing the stifening pieces may be readily and repeatedly interchanged. To these and other ends the invention comprises the novel fea-A F ig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of part of the stiifener rack, showing the coil spring for holding the stiffeners.

A tank 10 Which may desirably be shaped as shown and may be` constructed economicab ly of galvanized iron or the like, has verti cally disposed Within, it, and respectively adjacent its end Walls, tWo guide rodsll,l 12.v These rods, which may be of brass and soldered in place at their ends, are respectively surrounded by coil springs 13', 14, suitably made of brass, or other like resilient metal, and of such character that they may be conipressed into a relatively small space near the bottom of the tank and also if desired, such that they willi be underl at least some compression. even in` ther position, shown.k in. Fig. 2. A. movable troughfshaped; support 15 having holes 16, 16. through. which the rods 11, 12may pass, is carried by the upper extremities ofsprings 1 3, 14, and may have init suitable apertures such as the holes 17 conveniently disposed along the central portion thereof', to permit free passage of: water or other liquid'therethrough when, the

support is pushed downwardly into the tankV (see` Fig. rFhis support4 1,5, constantly urged upward by the springslz, 14, is prevented from rising above a predetermined position bythe guard plates 18, to .vhich when disposecbasshoivn, for; example, the up per endsr of the. guide rods 11, 12 may be fixed by soldering, or thelike.

To hold the stiifeningpieces for submergence in the tank and subsequent softening, racks may beprovided such as ,thetplate 19, of galvanized iron or other suitablyy rigidimaterial. In vertical` slotsQQ `in ,such a: plate there. may be soldered or brazed one er more coil springs 21, ofthe close type, suclrasY hereinabove `described.With respect to the apparatus.

of my aforesaid copending application, so that` adj acentturnswill for-m spring clips for holding the stifeningpiecesQQl,`- as shownin Fig. 4. It may also bedesirabletohavethe convolutions of these springs slope downwardly, to holdlthe pieces in correspondingly inclined position.

The tank'l() is open at the top as shown and the plate or rackfi) is of such propertio-ns that itmay be inserted in the tank Withits bottom edge resting inthe central depression or channelof support 15. (see Fig. 2)-, Whenso pcsiticned the rackmay then slope back against one of the upper edges of the side Walls of tank 10a-nd the slanting position of springs 21,

while somewhatmodiiied bythe slope of the rack, Will still be such that Water or other liquidmay effectively drain off-the s tiifening pieces 22 carried by the springs. The tank. 10 may have a suitable galvanizedgiron bail Q3 for carrying it from place to place and-the rack 19 may be provided withfa hook-like handle 24, which latter may have a sharp outer edge-so asy to obtain a frictional grip 0n the Work bench or other table on Which the rack may be placed when removed from the tank, and thus to facilitate removal or insertion of the stiifening pieces.

ln using the apparatus the tank 10 is filled With Water, indicated at 25, upl to a suitable point, conveniently to about the level of support` 15 When the latter is in its uppermost position. On the plate or rack 19 the several stiifening pieces whichare to besoftened'maybe mounted and the rack-placed in the position shown in. F ig. 2. This may conveniently be done at any time, Whether or not it is desired to soften. the pieces immediately. lVhen the Workman is rear y to perform the mulling operation he then graspsthe plate 19, as. by its handle 24, and pushes it downwardlyy on supportl and-against the force of springs 13, 14, into the tank, sothat the stiffening pieces are there submergediin the Wateras desired. This operation taking only a few moments, the Workman then withdraws the rack 19 and allows it to rest` in the position ofl Fi". 2, While water f received bythe stiifening pieces soaks in to soften,them,.and any excess drains off. The. mulling operationA may then continue with. the rack in this posit-ion, orremoved to anotherappropriate receptacle or place, as long as couvenient,-preferably until the toes have becomesuitably damp andsoft throughout, and their surface wetness has substantially disap eared so that in using them, the Workmansgers Willnot becomemoist andcon sequently soil orI otherwise` damage the shoes he is vworking' on:V Y

Itwill now. beund erstood that; in usingfthe apparatus of the present invention, a Workman cannot accidentally. leave the stiffening piecesin the Water any longer lthan the moment. o r two necessary to Wet them. If he is suddenly called away, for instance, While holdinga rack dow-n in the tank, he Willnecessarily. permit it'to be forced upward on support-15 bythe springs and torestin a position such. asthat shown,` beforehe leaves. In other Words, a rack4 cannot remain in the tank by reasonV of neglect; or

forgetfulness, since itl can only stay there When. held down by the operator, and consequent over-softening ory other injury to thel stiii'enersy is avoided. Furthermore, theapparatus serves as a simple Vand efficient structure for effecting the mulling operation, and may provide convenient and satisfactory means for holding the stiffeners, duringthe entire` time` of that operation and until it is necessary toremove thenrfor actual use in making slices.4 On thev other hand, `byreason of its simplicity. of'construction andthe accessibility of itsune ans for receiving theracks, the apparatus maybe rapidly and repeatedly used for submergingany number ofracksin succession, ,each such operation being` accomplished `with practically a single motion, and "c there being no operative parts to be adjusted by the workman.

lt is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the apparatus herein specifically illustrated and described but can be embodied in other forms Without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for softening boxetoe stiffenin@ pieces capable of being softened by temporary submerGence in a body of Water and by subsequent absorption of the Water retained therefrom, including a relatively narrow tank with a pair of relatively closely spaced Walls, vertically7 disposed members in said tank, a trough-shaped member slidable upon said vertical members and extending into relatively close proximity to the aforesaid walls, so as to be vertically guided thereby, a rack for stiffening pieces removably associable with said trough shaped member, and ada ated for vertical introduction into' the tan 1:, and resilient means adapted to be compressed upon Vdepression of the trough-shaped member by forced introduction of the rack into the tank, and also adapted to extend to elevate the trough-shaped member and the like upon removal of pressure from the rack.

2. Apparatus for softening box-toe stiffening pieces capable of being softened by temporary submergence in a body of Water and by subsequent absorption of the Water retained therefrom, comprising a relatively narrow tank with relatively closely spaced front and rear Walls, a movable rack assemblage for holding stiffening pieces, a member vertically slidable in the tank With portions extending into proximity to the Walls thereof for guiding action and a portion for centraliZing the movable rack assemblage and guiding the latter into the tank, and resilient means cooperating With the vertically slidable member arranged to be compressed upon the introduction of the rack assemblage into the tank and adapted for automatic distention to expel the rack assemblage from the tank upon release of pressure upon the rack assemblage.

8. Apparatus for softening box-toe stiifening pieces capable of being softened by temporary submergence in a body of Water and by subsequent absorption of the Water retained therefrom, comprising a relatively Hat rack for holding a plurality of stiffening pieces, a tank constructed to permit insertion of said rack in vertical position With the stiffening pieces submerged in Water therein, a rack-supporting member vertically slidable in the tank and having a configuration adapted to readily guide the racks into position for sub-mergence guide means in the tank for maintaining the said member in rack-supporting and positioning relation, and resilient means in the tank cooperating With said member and said guide means, arranged to be compressed on insertion of the rack into the tank and adapted for automatic distention to raise the rack clear of Water in the tank when pressure upon the rack is released.

ll. Apparatus for softening box-toe stiening pieces capable of being softened by temporary submergence in a body of Water and by subsequent absorption of the water retained therefrom, including a relatively narrow upright tank, and a trough-shaped member vertically slidable in the tank and capable of readily receiving and supporting therein one edge of a fiat rack carrying stiifening pieces, a separable rack vertically insertible in the tank, said tank being constructed for guiding and maintaining the slidable trough shaped member in rack receiving and supporting position, and resilient means in the tank adapted to be compressed upon depression of the trough-shaped member by insertion of said rack into the tank and also adapted to expand to elevate the trough shaped member and the rack upon removal of pressure from the rack.

In testimony whereof l hereto affix my signature.

HARRY FRANK ROSE. 

